How to write a CV for jobs in the UAE?

How to write a CV for jobs in the UAE?

The most common question asked when it comes to CVs for Gulf countries is whether there is any special format of CV. Well, the short answer is "NO". Yet there are some guidelines you need to follow if you are to write a UAE CV. For example, A Dubai CV.

Country Specific Format No Specific Format
Commonly used Format Reverse Chronological
Photograph Needed? Ideally Yes
Must Have Elements Personal details, Summary, Skills,
Work experience, Education & Training, Other relevant information,
References

Don't stress about the details! Whether you need a new resume or want to polish your existing one, we've got you covered. Our Dubai Resume Builder is designed to assist you in creating a CV tailored for Gulf and UAE countries, including Dubai. If you already have a resume, take advantage of our Buzzword Scanner and Keyword Finder Tools to optimize it for the Dubai job market in 2024.

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Create New Resume for Dubai

Click on the button below to start creating your resume for UAE / Dubai with one of the most known Dubai CV makers. Whether it's a driver resume format UAE a fresher's, or a Managerial position CV that you are going to build up, this resume builder covers it all.

This article walks you through how to make cv for job in Dubai.

Things to remember before writing a UAE Resume

CV is a reflection of your work background, skills, qualifications and achievements. Therefore, you always need to keep in mind that you,

  1. Utilize the space you have to showcase the so-called in the most optimum way.
  2. Do not leave lot of white space.
  3. Be specific and keep your CV concise. So that the recruiter will find it easy to read.
  4. Identify the skills or keywords the job advert has asked for, and carefully choose your keywords to address it. Make sure to add keywords which are related to your job position.

Let's have a quick view at the below video explaining everything about UAE / Dubai or Gulf CV.

What to include?

Below are the sections that are commonly used in the UAE resumes.

  1. Personal details
  2. Summary
  3. Skills
  4. Work experience
  5. Education & Training
  6. Other relevant information
  7. References

1. Personal details in the Dubai

UAE is gulf. Not Europe or USA. Therefore, what you need to keep in mind is that you should mention of your personal details on the Dubai CV. Because, they ask for them. They sometimes look at even about your marital status to consider the type of accommodation if the position the package includes it. Usually, what UAE recruiters look for, in your CV’s personal section are Name, date of birth, location, nationality, driving license details, gender, location and the languages you know.

Contact details

These usually come in the header section right below the name. In this section, you need to mention your phone number, email address, and the link of your LnkedIn profile as well.

Photo

Also, please note that a photo of you is mandatory in the UAE resumes. Photo should be a passport sized photograph and be placed in the top right corner of the CV. Make sure it is professional with no fancy or casual dresses on.

UAE Accepted and Not Accepted Resume Photos

2. Summary

Experts say that a recruiter spend around six seconds to decide on whether the applicant is suitable for the position or not. Therefore, you need to make sure that the recruiter is really impressed and convinced by the way you have presented your content. The best place for this is the summary section. Therefore, make sure that you write a compelling summary with your achievements. Yet be clear and concise. Do not write a long story there. If you do this right, there is more than 95% of a chance the rest is read by the recruiter.

3. Skills

Most candidates take this part lightly. They tend to copy and paste the skills they need to show. But fail to showcase why they believe they have those skills and how they have helped him/her in his/her career. Therefore, it is advisable to be honest first and question yourself of the skills you have or proven. Try to tally with the job advert or the position advertised. This may take a while but it’s worth spending time thinking. Quantify your skills and show them as your achievements. Simply, show the recruiter how they have impacted your performance.

Are you not sure what buzzwords are or how to spot them? Use the Cresuma buzzword finder to find what buzzwords you have in your resume.

4. Work Experience

When you mention your work experience in the UAE CV or Resume, it is more effective to use the reverse chronological order. Meaning you need to display the latest experience at the top of the list. Use bullet points for each experience. And make sure that you show your experience as an achievement and quantify them. For example, “Doubled sales by 30% within the first year of joining the company”.

Use action verbs to make your resume stronger by using our action verb finder tool that helps you find the necessary action verbs for your profession.

5. Education

When you write the education section, usually we mention the two last or the most recent education qualifications. For instance, if you have an MBA, Post Graduate Diploma and a Diploma in Marketing, usually Master of Business Administration and the Post Graduate Diploma are mentioned in this section. That is ok because, one this is that you need to keep your CV not more than two pages, and the other thing is if you already have a post graduate diploma, recruiter knows that you have the prior qualifications to do this. However, if you have any achievement to show with the prior diploma course, it is advisable to use that and take advantage of that too.

Important:

  • Do not use paragraphs or long sentences here as they can disturb the clarity of the content.
  • It is always recommended to use reverse chronological order (latest to oldest)
Example of Education Section in Dubai

1.Master of Business Administration
University of Toronto,Canada
January 2016-December 2017

2.Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing
Cambrige University , UK
February 2014- Octomber 2015

6. Other Relevant Information

This is where you can showcase your certifications, licenses and volunteer work. By looking at this, the recruiter will further understand of your background. However, bear in mind that you need to maintain the minimum use of words and wordings here as this is not a place for you to exaggerate or go into many details.

7. References

References are not mandatory to be mentioned unless otherwise the employer has asked you to. Because they do not necessarily look for it at the very initial stage of filtering CVs and it is not. Therefore, however, it is always advisable to mention in the references section that the references are available upon request.

Highlights on how to format your Dubai CV

When it comes to this, paying attention to the following key factors is vital.

  • Reverse chronological order is recommended. That means you are expected to insert your latest records first and move on from there.
  • Plan your CV content to 2 pages maximum. It's a professional choice, as many HR personnel don't prefer going through lengthy CVs.
  • Use the best and easy-to-read font and font sizes. Some of the most common fonts would be Calibri and the font size in the body text should be 12 pt. However, you need to make your headings and subheadings comparatively bigger.
  • Use a photo of you. When choosing a photo, make sure to have a professionally taken one with a suitable outfit.
  • Insert Personal Details Section. Personal details help the reader get a grasp of you.
  • Reverse chronological order for the experience section is desirable.
  • Reverse chronological order for education and the two highest qualifications are recommended to use. Yet do not be limited if you have more achievements with other education qualifications.
  • Mention you would provide references upon request (Unless they have asked you to send them in the job advert)
  • Check grammar and spelling. This is one of the most neglected issues when it comes to resume/CV writing. Poor grammar and structure can imply that you are a reckless person who doesn't care for proper work.
  • Proofread. It's essential to proofread your text not only for grammatical and structural errors but also for typos and accuracy of your content.
  • Try to use action verbs and keywords instead of buzzwords.

You can now download CV format for Dubai below. It's totally free! All you need to do is to submit your name and the email, so we'll get in touch with you in seconds.

Improve Your Existing Resume for Dubai

If you already have a created resume and wants to scan your resume for errors, or wants to stand out in the competition you may try our resume tools below.

  1. Resume Keyword Finder - This resume keyword tool helps you to find keywords related to the job post that you are going to apply. By adding these words to the cv, you can beat the ATS (Application Tracking Systems) and get selected for the jobs.
  2. Resume Buzzword Scanner - Resume Buzzwords simply kills your resume and reduce the chances of being picked by the hiring managers. But how to spot if your short cover letter is also having buzzwords that kills yours too? This is the easy way to do it. You can upload your cover letter or resume to the Cresuma Buzzword Checker and check how many buzzwords and action verbs you have on your resume and fix problems. So that you could expect more calls to come from the recruiters

Also, according to the UAE government's provided CV tips to landing a job , it is also important to increase your knowledge about the region, cultural and social value system as well as keeping your CV always updated.

Dubai job resume/CV format for freshers 2024 download pdf now!

Download Dubai / UAE Resume Template

If you are busy with your current job and do not have enough time to craft a Dubai Resume, you may download Dubai Resume Templates here. We got free and paid Dubai Resume Templates

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Sometimes, finding sample cv for Dubai jobs can be challenging. That's why we are here to help you. You can now get a Dubai Resume sample / Dubai CV sample in a matter of seconds! Also, Dubai CV format word download is possible from above.

Feel free to find more about How to write a perfect resume for applying for your dream job.

People who read this also read: Best Resume & CV Formats to use for any Job in the World, UK Resume Format and German Resume Format.

Conclusion

In conclusion, creating a powerful CV/ resume lies in your hands. A CV is not something that only outlines your personal details, work history, education history, achievements, interests, etc., but a strong point to imply your good practices and professionalism before actually meeting a hiring manager face to face. Hence, doing your best to finalize your CV matters! If you don't feel confident enough to go ahead alone, seeking professional support is a safer move!